i am finally, very happy with my suspension, which is probably better than a STOCK GT-500's
i am trying to get a feel for where stock vs stock, and modded vs modded suspension's fall out, (beacuse of the extra front end weight, etc)

the car would be dual purpose drags, and road-course worthy. and therefore set up with some adjustability.
i think i finally have a line on a GREAT deal on a new '07 GT-500, and want to see if i am starting out on too wrong a foot, with regards to handling/weight issues.

i want the car to be a Z-06 killer (not just stock Z-06's, either) and if the weight is THAT big a deal, i can forego the "prestige" of owning the GT-500 for its namesake, etc.

it would obviously me a VERY modded car (either gt OR gt500), and if i went the GT route, it would be stroked, to regain some of the c.i.d. i would be leaving on the table, and maybe even wet-sleaved/bored (for about 5.2 liters, total.

obviously less weight is better, but how much a difference in performance / handling are we talking?
yes, i know 100 lbs is worth about 1/10th second in the quarter mile. (at least near the slower end of the scale).

Remember you can make any car win in a straight line but on a road course that is another whole different ball game there like trying to bet a ZO6 on a road course they are two different cars and about a 800 lbs differents. Plus now they are selling for 6,000 under sticker,,,,

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Companies are starting to make nice suspension packages for the GT500 now. I hear Steeda pretty much has a whole parts line for it already.

Still you can't argue with physics. The GT500 is significantly heavier then the GT and is very nose heavy at that. The suspension can only do so much to compensate for what I would call a design impediment.

Love it or hate it GM did a fantastic job with the Z06. I have racing instructors telling me they lap older (C4 and even C5) race trim corvettes in stock Z06s they're just that good.

If you're planning on fun in a straight line anything is possible with these cars but if it's taking it to the twisties its a whole different story. Your best bet would be (if you have money to blow that is) to get a GT, slap a supercharger on and invest in 10K worth of suspension modding from Griggs. That'll get you a really nice corner carver / track star with their GR40 system pushing the S197 chassis to 1.55G of real world sideload (that's tested at an hillclimb not a concrete donut).